


Chapter Two (Strong Ribbions)

by Erza_Boysenberry



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-11-19 12:20:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18135677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Erza_Boysenberry/pseuds/Erza_Boysenberry
Summary: Thanks to TheMGMouse for helping to proofread go subscribe to her at https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMGMouseI put historical footnotes at the bottom for anyone not wanting to skim through all my research links, there isn't much I can say about history in this chapter besides the footnotes. But don't worry next chapter will have way more history to discuss.





	Chapter Two (Strong Ribbions)

Japan’s house was quite different since while it was Japanese it reeked of European influence. This would have gotten a chuckle out of North Korea since Japan was the hypocrite by saying how incapable they were or how easily they could have fallen victim to western influence. [ [1] ](http://www.historyisnowmagazine.com/blog/2018/9/9/how-did-japan-use-propaganda-in-world-war-two) But both North and South Korea couldn't even give a chuckle, South Korea now fighting back tears clinging to North Korea. She was never going to let a barbarian like Japan get the satisfaction of seeing her cry, but with blood dripping down her feet from where the nails had been, it became harder by the minute.

 

“With the near comings of my invasion of China, I have decided it was in my best interest to keep a closer eye on you. Firstly, I don’t want to hear that pathetic excuse of a language you call “Korean”. Japanese is now the mandatory language you will speak while at my house.”  [ [2] (p 25) ](https://books.google.co.kr/books?id=EhXrBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT35) He commanded looking down on the two, enjoying their disdained looks.

 

As he continued South Korea nudged North Korea mouthing the words instead of speaking to avoid punishment, “Silence is a true friend that never betrays.” [ [3] ](https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/3215-silence-is-a-true-friend-who-never-betrays) North Korea now reading her lips smiled on the inside. While South Korea never really gave many ideas, having to hide behind a meek facade thanks to Confucianism. North Korea liked her sister's idea in keeping quiet, for the less they spoke it meant the smaller chance of them forgetting their precious language.

 

“Also…” He said walking out of the room to get something, before coming back throwing two colorless kimonos, socks, and straw shoes onto the floor. “Pick this up.” He demanded

 

“Why should I, when you’re obviously wearing a European rip-off much less something from your own culture.” North Korea spat continuing in Korean a crap-eating grin plastered on her face, Japan just picked her up and hurled her against the wall.

 

“If I dribbled you would I even get points from such a deflated ball?” Japan sneered watching as South Korea hobbled over to help North Korea to her feet, picking up the clothes as she made her way back. “Now you are to change into these and burn your rags.” He commanded pointing to their nice silk hanboks, North and South Korea just remained silent, they would rather be mute then speak his language. Japan now clapped his hands twice, a little girl around their age now coming out from a nearby doorway.

 

“What is it that you want Master Japan,” The girl said giving a bow speaking perfect Japanese, Taiwan was shorter than the two Korea's, wearing a beautiful rose pink kimono embroidered with elegant but sturdy white bellflowers and with a gait as delicate and graceful as her clothes. 

 

“This is Taiwan, she will be instructing you on your duties, as well as teach you Japanese, so I don’t have to deal with you insects,” Japan remarked giving Taiwan a pat on the head as Taiwan smiled in agreement. South Korea gave a confused expression, if they could understand Japan all this time then why would they need lessons?

 

“Follow me so I can show you how to put on your kimonos.” She ordered, leading them to a changing room, as Japan went back to his office to do some work on the invasion. North Korea now looked at Taiwan with distrust, wondering if she was an experiment  [ [5] ](http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/Taiwan/sub5_1a/entry-3796.html) since no could ever willingly bow to such a monster. “All right, ladies first,” Taiwan said, with a positivity that didn't fit the sullen mood that the two Koreas had.

 

“Which one?” North Korea sighed in Mandarin, hoping that she was correct in the guess Taiwan was mainland Chinese. Now Taiwan gave a frown, she didn't like mainlanders especially since they came from that brute China.

 

“She means which one of us are you referring to since we’re both girls.” South Korea tried in Cantonese hoping this was the correct dialect, but the language was awkward on her tongue.

 

“No it’s a totally fine boy are boys, but why are you speaking Chinese? It would make poor Master Japan feel bad if he knew you were speaking the inferior tongue,” Taiwan responded with complete seriousness.

 

South and North Korea were shocked how could anyone pity Japan?! That monster who suppressed them of everything they held dear, the monster who tore a bloody ravine of massacres through their beloved peninsula for centuries. How could anyone in their right minds pity him?! But North Korea was more confused, on why Taiwan thought she was a boy. Now nudging her sister to ask why she referred to her as such.

 

“Sorry, my sister can’t speak Cantonese, but she can understand it.” South Korea hinted in a soft quiet tone that sounds almost like a whisper.

  
  


“Sister?! But they have such a gruff and manly way to them. Especially considering Master Japan gave him a male kimono.” Taiwan blurted out confused since North Korea did look like a convincing young boy with her deep voice, flat chest, and slight muscular form. It also didn't help, that North Korea had crossdressed a lot to get the same rights as men.  [ [6] ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_South_Korea#cite_note-:2-4) But the dead give away was definitely her female hanbok which had a bright red jeogori and bright blue chima [7] with a red ribbon on her chest. Matching South Korea only she had a blue ribbon on her chest.

  
  


“Well I don’t know what to tell you but Japan must have made a mistake,” South Korea stated, Taiwan just shook her head no, believing that Japan couldn’t be capable of making a mistake.

 

“Well, either way, let me show you how to dress into your kimonos,” Taiwan said motioning them into the changing room, where she showed them the do’s and don’ts of wearing kimonos.

 

“How does anyone get work done in this?” North Korea thought as she put the leg confining kimono on, before tucking the two ribbons from their old clothes into her kimono’s sash.

 

“All right you can light the fire out there, just bring back the ashes to Master Japan to prove you burned it. After that Kita, you need to report to Master Japan while Minami I’ll show you how to do our duties together. [9]

 

“Kita? Minami?” North Korea spat back confused at the names she used, why couldn't she call them Buk and Nam? [10] Honestly caring less about the orders that Japan had in store.

 

“Those are your Japanese names, while it is not required it is your best interest that you use these as your names,”  [ [11] ](https://www.history.com/news/japan-colonization-korea) Taiwan answered calmly but quivery as if she remembered something she’d rather forget. Before quickly repeating her statement about where to meet and left.

 

“She wasn’t as obedient as I thought,” North  Korea muttered watching the fire grow in the place Taiwan instructed them to start it. South Korea nodded staring at the slowly burning hanboks with deep sorrow, hugging her knees eyes welling with tears finally able to stop fighting back her tears now that they were alone.

 

“Shh it’s okay, it’s okay I have a plan,” North Korea consoled wrapping her sister in a tight hug wanting to cry as well but stayed strong. Feeling that as the eldest she had to make the sacrifice and show her sister that is was going to be “okay”. South Korea nodded wiping the tears away from her face, eager to listen to North Korea’s plan. North Korea now took the two long ribbons from her kimono sash, giving South Korea her red ribbon keeping South Korea’s blue ribbon for herself before sharing her idea.

 

“I don’t know what we will face, I don’t know what will happen, maybe in time, these ribbons will be all we have left of us and our culture. Our hair that linked us to our ancestors was cut, our books burned or stolen, and our lovely hanboks are burning as we speak. While these ribbons can’t link us to our ancestors, they can be links between us. Showing that no matter what happens we are united and will stand against what comes our way since we are still the great Daehan Jeguk. I mean we survived China and the Mongols, I think we can handle Japan.” North Korea then sat down finishing her speech, South Korea giving a small smile that made North Korea feel like the best sister in the world.

 

“We should tie them underneath the sash in the middle to avoid anyone seeing we didn't burn it.” South Korea said, tying the red ribbon underneath the kimono's sash doing the same for North Korea.

 

“But I agree let’s take the cards we’re dealt with, and make any small happiness last, Japan will crumble eventually they all do, even us.” South Korea murmured wrapping her sister in tight hug North Korea hugging back tighter. Not fearing what horrors will come their way but knowing that when they come they’ll have each other to weather the storm.

Historical footnotes  
[1] Japan needing to justify a take over of Asia, so they persuaded the public with propaganda saying how they needed to liberate Asia from the West. Which is ridiculous considering their imperialistic government was based on the west most notably England.

[2] While it was in 1943 when speaking and teaching Korean was prohibited, it was still discouraged and pressured for Koreans to speak Japanese instead. I would also think that Japan wouldn't want them to speak Korean while at his house.

[4] Taiwan was known as the model colony as well as being an experiment by Japan to prove to the world that Japan was a great colonizer. Think of Taiwan as a separate game file where Japan was semi-nice to the NPCs instead of being a total jerk to them.

[6] It wasn't until 1948 when women in Korea got the rights to vote, drive, own and inherit properties and assets, and get health care.

[7] Jeogori is the top part and Chima is the bottom part of a hanbok

[9] Kita is the Japanese word for North and Minami is the Japanse word for South

[10] Buk is the Korean word for North and Nam is the Korean word for South

[11] Japan pressured Koreans to change their names from Korean to Japanese ones, by not treating them as human beings. As to make it seem they changed it "voluntary" when it really wasn't.


End file.
